WATER FOR DOGS

All dogs should have unlimited access to clean water all day, every day. Especially in the hot summer months.

But how do we know if our dogs are drinking enough water and how much is that?

The best way to track how much your dog is drinking is by measuring and recording the amount of water you are pouring into their water bowl each time you fill it up. In very hot weather there might be some evaporation, but, if you start out with an empty, freshly washed water dish every morning, you will know how much your dog has drunk by the end of the day by simply measuring, and not filling directly from the tap.

To know how much water your dog needs is a very easy calculation. Normally, most dogs need between .5 and one ounce per pound they weigh (approximately 30 - 60 mL per Kg). If you have a 30lb (approximately 14Kg) dog, over the course of a day your dog should be drinking between 15 and 30 ounces of water. If your dog is very active they will most certainly need to drink more than that average. During the summer months, most dogs need more.

If your dog is not drinking enough, try to encourage him or her to drink more. Sometimes just adding an ice cube to the water dish can encourage more intake of vital fluids. Some dogs have been known to prefer a little apple cider vinegar in their water. Adding sugar or sugary additives is not recommended. Check that the water is both fresh and clean. And please don’t leave a water dish in the sun as the water can become dangerously hot and certainly will not encourage your dog to drink.

If your dog seems to be consuming an excessive amount of water, you should contact your vet to eliminate the possibility of certain illnesses.

Of course, puppies still struggling to control their bladder may need a little help by restricting their access to water after their last outing at night. But they will need fresh water as soon as they wake up and throughout the day.

Finally, a word about water consumption for raw-fed dogs: raw diets inherently provide a lot of water trapped within the meat. You may find your raw-fed dog drinks less than your neighbor’s dog that eats kibble. This is normal. It’s still recommended that your dog has access to unlimited fresh water during the day.

Let’s enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe summer with our dogs!

Happy Tails!